Vanessa didn''t argue. She let Henry feed her the entire bowl of porridge, then delicately wiped her mouth and leaned back into the sofa. "Thank you, Henry," she murmured. "I don''t know what I''d do without you." Curled up under the nket with her eyes closed, she looked exceptionally fragile and pitiable.


    Watching her, Henry felt a growing certainty that something was wrong between her andn. "Vanessa, tell me the truth. How are things really withn?" he asked gently.


    She slowly opened her eyes, which were now glistening with moisture. She looked at him with an expression of confusion and sorrow, then let out a soft, weary sigh. "Henry, tell me... if a person tries for ten years and still can''t get what they want... should they just give up?"


    Henry''s heart sank. "Vanessa, you andn..."


    She gave a bitterugh and turned to look out the window, her voice tired and sad. "I''m just... so tired. Maybe some things just aren''t meant to be, no matter how hard you fight for them."


    Stunned, Henry put his hands on her shoulders, turning her to face him. "Didn do something to you? What did he say?"


    Vanessa gently pushed his hands away and shook her head. "Let''s not talk about it. It has nothing to do with him. I was the one who made the wrong choice from the very beginning." She looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears. "Henry, right now... I feel like I have nothing left."


    She lowered her gaze, waiting for him to say the words she so desperately needed to hear: *You still have me.*


    But the words never came.


    The silence stretched on. Henry looked at her, his eyes filled with aplex mix of sympathy and pity. His lips parted, but all that came out was a sigh. "Vanessa, don''t say that. Whatever it is, things will get better."


    His response hit her like a physical blow. A wave of disappointment washed over her. He wasn''t rushing to her defense, wasn''t promising to stand by her side like he always had before. She knew then, with absolute certainty, that Selma Quigley had already imed a piece of his heart.


    Slowly, deliberately, she pushed his hand away again.


    "Yes... everything will be fine," she whispered, her smile full of


    for the


    self-mockery. Thank you f


    kind words mal


    tired think d


    like to be alone for a while.


    Henry was taken aback by her sudden dismissal. She turned away from him,


    pulling the nket tighter around herself.


    "Vanessa, that''s not what I meant-I..." he stammered.


    "I''m tired," she cut him off, her voice cracking. "Please go."


    He stood there, at a loss for words.


    After a moment, "All


    right get


    he sighed a


    rest. Call me! anything."


    He waited a little longer, but when she didn''t respond, he picked up his jacket and


    left.


    The moment the door closed, Vanessa''s eyes snapped open. The vulnerability


    was gone, reced by a cold, seething resentment.


    At four in the afternoon, Eleanor was by Serena''s bedside in theb, asking her a few questions when the door opened. Ian walked in, looking much moreposed than he had that morning gave Eleano


    te


    brief nce before turning his attention to his sister.


    "How are you feeling? Any difort?"